Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, missed his arraignment in the N82 billion fraud case the federal government had brought against him on Thursday for the fifth time. The matter was scheduled to be heard before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Rather, the former governor requested that his trial be moved to Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, by petitioning Justice John Tsoho, the Chief Judge of the Court.

Adeola Adedipe, SAN, Bello’s attorney, told Justice Emeka Nwite during Thursday’s hearings that his client had written to the Chief Judge asking for the trial to be shifted to Lokoja.

Read Also: Former Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello Scheduled for Arraignment Today in Abuja Over Alleged N83bn Fraud

According to him, the former governor would have preferred to be charged in Lokoja, where the court had territorial jurisdiction.

The senior attorney omitted to discuss the Chief Judge’s reaction to the request, nevertheless.

In addition, he broke his promise from June 13 to bring Bello into court for today’s arraignment.

There have been legal disagreements between Adedipe and the prosecution, headed by Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, as of the time of this article.

Bello’s lead attorney, Abdulwahab Mohammed, and Senior Advocate Adeola Adedipe, both of whom are demanding a contempt trial for deceiving the court, are being demanded by the prosecution.